Love and Second Chances
by zeilfanaat
Summary: It is said a few times that doctor Oliver Crane is married, but we never see his wife. When his parents come to visit him, they don’t even mention her. A possible explanation. DOC story with references to Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye. Shouldn't bother you though.
1. Chapter 1

**Love and Second Chances**

_By zeilfanaat_

**Category:** Romance, Drama

**Ratings:** PG, K

**Warning:** Main character is doctor Oliver Crane. If that scares you, you have two options. One, you can decide not to read this story. Two, you can read this story and find that Oliver Crane too could have a nicer side. :)

**Disclaimer:** DOC is not mine. I merely borrowed for entertainment purposes. No profit is made, and the characters will be returned more or less unharmed. I did sort of shape Lynn Crane. Please ask if you wish to use her in a story.

**Spoilers:** Pilot, All In A Day's Work, Wake-up Call, (STFBE: Bounty Hunter)

**Summary:** Even though it is mentioned once or twice that doctor Oliver Crane is married, we never see his wife. It wasn't until the episode where Oliver's parents come to visit him, that I thought it was kind of weird they didn't mention his wife at all. Here's what my mind supplied as a possible explanation… and it kind of evolved into more than a thought.

**Challenge:** Valentine's Day Challenge 2008 on i2Eye Fan Fiction

**Quote used:** "Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but are always perfect for you." Author Unknown.

**Awards:** This story has won the following awards: **Best Short Story** _(tie)_, **Best Use of Quote**, and **Best Drama** _(tie)_.

**A/N:** This story, if you haven't noticed yet, dives a little deeper into Oliver Crane's life. You have been warned. Reference to Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye, although I may have adjusted the timeline a teeny-weeny bit to fit.

**Finished:** February, 2008

Part 1:

A high squeal came from the reception area, and about every person within the clinic looked up to find out what was happening. Several people poked their heads around the corner, and most smiled and turned back to what they had been doing when they noticed the receptionist dancing excitedly. Doctor Oliver Crane was one of them, although instead of returning to the medical article he'd been reading, he frowned. What had gotten Tippy so excited? Sure, she got excited often, but she didn't exactly squeal every time. Making up his mind, he decided to go and find out. He just hoped it wasn't Twila, Tippy's cousin, who might as well have been her twin.

When he got closer, he noticed a small group of people within the filing area. Donna DeWitt, the clinic's director, was there, wearing a small smile, and giving doctor Derek Hebert a pat on the arm, before shaking doctor Cassidy's hand. Meanwhile, Tippy was holding onto the hand of nurse Nancy Nichol, who was beaming.

Oliver halted a few metres away, and regarded the scene.

"I'm so happy for you two," he heard doctor Hebert say to doctor Cassidy, while Miss DeWitt turned to stand with the other two women.

Oliver started to get an inkling of what might be going on, but instead of continuing to watch, he decided to just go ahead and ask. "Just what is going on here?"

All five people looked up, as well as a couple of other nurses and doctors who were passing by. Doctor Cassidy gave him a smile. "Oliver, glad you're here. As you probably heard, Tippy got a bit excited when she noticed Nancy's new ring."

At Oliver's raised eyebrow, he continued, and his smile widened. "Nancy and I got engaged."

Oliver looked sceptically at the group of people, and the nurse and country doctor in particular, who shared a look of pure love.

"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order," Oliver said. "Now can we get back to work. There are patients after all."

He noticed Nancy roll her eyes, but ignored it; he had received those looks often enough in his life to be immune to them. It was the look doctor Cassidy gave him however, that made him turn, and walk back to his office. Once there, he tried to concentrate on the article, but it no longer held his attention. Finally he sat back, giving up on even pretending to read, and let his thoughts run free.

When the country doctor had first started working in the clinic, his unusual methods had caused numerous clashes between him and Oliver. Not only did Oliver think doctor Cassidy had no business practicing medicine in the big city, he wasn't convinced the man should even practice medicine - period. And where Donna DeWitt had been mostly on his side concerning the running of the clinic, that had changed as well when the cowboy had settled.

Over the years, they still butted heads occasionally, but had developed a mutual feeling of respect for each other - admittedly, reluctant and unvoiced from Oliver's side, but there nonetheless. Besides, it was with nurse Nichol he butted heads with on a regular basis. Oliver couldn't remember a time when they had seen eye to eye. Perhaps only that time when they were working together to get Westbury back from Richard Black. Maybe.

No, Oliver wouldn't go as far as calling him and the recently engaged couple 'friends'. Oliver would admit - to himself, and not out loud if he could help it - that both the doctor and the nurse were good at their jobs, but that's where his respect for them ended.

So why had doctor Cassidy looked at him with such compassion, even understanding, while Oliver was less than polite towards them at the news of their engagement?

With a sigh, Oliver picked up a pen, and fiddled with it. He may not know the reason for the look, but he sure knew why the gaze had unsettled him. While he had seen it coming that the two would end up as a couple at one point or another, the news had still caught him by surprise. Perhaps, after they hadn't made a move after the first two years, he'd been lulled into believing they would never make that move. Not that he really cared much beyond the fact of how it affected their work.

But it hurt to see a relationship like theirs, with such obvious love and commitment, knowing that he had once had that as well. And he'd lost it. The worst part was, he was the one who had slipped. Once only; almost a second time. By the time Gwen Hall had shown up, he knew better. He truly regretted those mistakes.

When he had met Lynn Carter, all those years ago, he had experienced the same feelings doctor Cassidy and nurse Nichol obviously felt for each other. Love. Every fibre of his being had scintillated every time he saw Lynn, and she had shared those feelings. They had dated for just over two years, before they had decided to marry. Part of the reason they hadn't been engaged earlier, was his parents' opinion of Lynn.

It just had never clicked. His mother at least tried, but his father… Well, that's doctor Franklin Crane for you. Just because Lynn had absolutely no tie with the medical profession, she had been considered as not important, and definitely not someone his son should marry.

Oliver sighed, and looked at the clock. It was still early considering his normal working hours, but he knew he wouldn't be productive anymore today, and he didn't have any patients scheduled for the rest of the afternoon. He might as well go home.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Thanks for the review, Give us Peace. Is this soon enough:) Next chapter will probably be up Wednesday, but I'm not promising. ;) Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too. Here's where the reference to Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye is incorporated into the story. 

* * *

Part 2: 

He dropped by Donna DeWitt's office, to let her know where he was. She gave him a peculiar look, but nodded her approval. As he drove home in his car, his thoughts brought him back to those early days.

No, his father had not approved of Lynn, and vice versa, Lynn's parents had their doubts about him at first too. But as they spent more time together with her parents, they started to come around. They saw how much he loved their daughter, and how much their daughter loved him.

When Lynn and Oliver had married, he couldn't have believed he would ever stoop as low as to even look like that at another woman. And looking back, he still didn't quite know how he could have.

Lynn was still as wonderful as ever. She had supported him in tough decisions, given him freedom to do things for himself, yet reminding him that not everything he thought, was right.

And aside from all that, she was a great person, and he loved her. So why had he almost engaged in an affair? He sighed. As much as he'd wanted to forget about it, he could vividly remember the time.

Lynn's sister, who had lived in Chicago at the time, had had an accident, and had broken almost everything there was to break. It was a miracle she was even alive. Her husband was in the Navy, and was on assignment abroad, so Lynn temporarily moved in with her sister to take care of her and the kids. It had taken a couple of months, and she had only been able to come home because her brother-in-law had arrived home.

Lynn had been away for almost four months already, and Oliver had tried to ignore the feeling of loneliness. Sure, they called, they e-mailed; Oliver went for a couple of brief visits, but nonetheless, Oliver had felt very alone. On top of that, doctor Cassidy had arrived, and had taken over _his_ patient.

And then The News came. The phone call from his estranged brother, Joe. Estranged from their parents that is. Joe and Oliver had kept in touch, although mostly by phone calls. As much as their father didn't care much for Oliver's choice of wife, he cared even less for Joe's choice of career with the F.B.I..

Joe had always been the more action-driven of the two of them. While both sons went ahead, doing what they wanted to, career-wise, Joe went as far as changing his last name, and cutting himself off completely from his parents. It had only been because of the bond the two brothers had forged while growing up under their father's strict upbringing, that they remained in contact.

Lynn and Oliver had been at Joe's wedding; and Oliver had been there when Kristen had been born.

And then Joe had called him. Oliver couldn't remember a time when he had heard his brother so utterly desperate and lost. At first he didn't make sense. He kept repeating it was 'their' fault, whoever 'they' were. Finally Oliver could ask just what 'their' fault was… Joe had almost broken down completely at that, but at last he was able to say it. "Kristen d-died. Dr… Drug overdose."

Oliver had gone pale instantly, and had had to grab a chair for support. "Wh…What?" he had whispered. Joe had started a rant against whoever it had been to get Kristen involved in drugs, but Oliver had only been half listening, still trying to grasp the fact that his niece was no longer alive. When Joe had ended his rant, Oliver had quietly asked where he was, and what he was going to do. Joe had rejected his offer to come over, saying he had some things to take care of.

Somehow that hadn't reassured Oliver at all, and he worried. He asked Joe to let him know when the funeral would be; and the two men had hung up. Oliver had immediately called Lynn to let her know, and she had been shocked. She too had asked about how Joe was doing, and Oliver had told her what he knew. When they had hung up as well, Oliver had sat back and thought about his niece. It had been hard to imagine Kristen as anything but alive.

He had loved Kristen, despite the fact he hadn't seen her often. To think he'd never get another letter, or e-mail rather, starting with 'Dear Uncle'… to never again hear her voice when she called… What was left of his already skewed family had been reduced abruptly.

It was in this state of mind that he'd gone to work, and after struggling through the day, snapping at everyone, he'd gone to a bar where they also served food. He hadn't felt like preparing a meal for himself, didn't want to return to an empty house, as the loneliness would be ten times worse than it already had been…

When a woman who was sitting on the stool next to him had started a conversation, he'd been grateful for the distraction. It had clicked. They had agreed to have dinner the next day here again. And from one thing came the next. He had sought comfort in the wrong place. And reality came crashing down on him only when nurse Nichol had confronted him with the situation, using the information as blackmail to get him to withdraw his charge against doctor Cassidy.

He'd broken off the affair, which luckily hadn't evolved _that_ far yet, although it was too far for a married man, no matter how you looked at it. At first he had tried to hide it from Lynn, and it had worked for a while. During Kristen's funeral, emotions had been all over the place, and he had hardly paused to think about the other woman. Later, he was feeling mighty guilty though, and when Lynn had returned home, the guilt seemed to increase to an unbearable level.

At one point he'd come back from work, and his wife had hugged him, kissed him, then pointed at the table, which she had set romantically.

"Because we've been apart for so long," she had said as an explanation, a tender, loving smile on her face as she had looked at him. That's when Oliver could hide it no longer. He'd crumpled into a chair, and actually cried; tears of shame. Lynn had been concerned, asking what was wrong. And he had blurted out the whole thing. She had been shocked, and hurt. Definitely hurt. And when she had looked at him with that hurt expression, he'd felt like the world's greatest idiot. He had apologised profusely, told her what a fool he'd been, and how he had realised just how much he loved her, and how much he'd missed her.

At first Lynn had not moved from her position in the chair she had dragged over the moment Oliver had sagged down. She'd been processing everything he had just told her.

"Truth is," Oliver had whispered, "I don't know what to do without you. I need you."

He had grasped her hand – relieved she hadn't pulled away, – and she had looked him in the eyes. "I've messed up big time, but I've never regretted marrying you. I love you."

The sincerity in his words and eyes caused tears to well up in Lynn's eyes.

"Oliver, I… this comes as such a… shock. I wish I'd known you were feeling so lonely and hurt. I should have known." A look of anguish crossed her face. "Perhaps I shouldn't have stayed with Emily for so long. I should have come home when Kr… when Kristen had died."

"No," Oliver denied immediately, not about to let her blame herself for his mistake. He was the one who had messed up, not her. "You were right where you had to be." He gently placed a hand against her face. "Please, Lynn, don't blame yourself."

They had had a long conversation that night, and some more the next few days, but Lynn forgave him.

Over the years, there had been moments when he'd come close to flirting with other women. He had always had a weakness for a pretty face… and money had its appeal as well. But each time he was reminded that he had the most amazing woman already. He would berate himself, and he had decided he should change this behaviour.

However, it was only when Gwen Hall came to Westbury, that the true turning point was reached. Meeting the woman he'd fallen in love with during college, the only other woman, besides Lynn, he had truly fallen in love with, and working so closely together had been tough. Lynn had noticed he'd been restless and had asked what was bothering him. Uneasily Oliver had told her, and to his surprise she had shown understanding. When he had questioned her about it, she had simply said, "Because I trust you."

The next day, he had started searching for the signed LP of Simon and Garfunkel, which he had given Gwen, and which he then, when she had broken up with him, had taken away again. It cost him quite some money to buy it, since he had long ago sold the original one, but he knew he had to do it, had to finish up that loose end. A few days later, Gwen told him she was leaving, and he gave her the LP. They said goodbye, and it had felt 'right'.

He'd been eager to return home that night. Just as he was now. Seeing what doctor Cassidy and Nancy had together, and the journey they were about to begin together, reminded Oliver so much of what he'd almost lost, he needed a little reassurance.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thanks to Give us Peace for reviewing. Here's the next part, as promised. Will most likely have the fourth and last part up tomorrow. 

Part 3:

Meanwhile, he had arrived home, and he quickly parked.

"Lynn?" he called upon entering the house, while divesting himself of his coat and suitcase. He walked into the living room, and found his wife, tears running down her cheeks. "Lynn!" he cried in alarm. Immediately he hurried to her side, and pulled her into an embrace. "Lynn, what's wrong?" he asked softly.

"Oh Oliver," the woman replied, welcoming the embrace, burying her head against her husband's chest. "Roberto had an accident today. He's in the hospital!"

"That's one of your students, right?" Oliver checked, gently rubbing his wife's back. She taught English to foreigners.

"Yes," she managed to choke out.

"Is he injured?" Oliver asked, needing to know whether the young man still lived, or whether he was in critical condition.

"He's broken his leg in two places, and a couple of ribs," Lynn provided the information. "It's my fault. If I hadn't rescheduled the meeting for today, he wouldn't have been there," Lynn continued, sobs coming in spades as she spoke.

"No, Lynn, it's not your fault," Oliver said decidedly.

"But if he hadn't been crossing the street at the moment that car came around the corner, this wouldn't have happened! And he was there at that moment, because I rescheduled our meeting!" Lynn countered.

"Lynn," Oliver said softly as he gently took her chin so he could look her in the eye. "It's not your fault. It could have happened anywhere. Roberto could have been going out to do groceries, or gone to a friend or something! You're not perfect you know." He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You can't go around feeling guilty over everything. Besides, if he has only broken his leg, and a few ribs, he should be as good as new in time."

Lynn looked down for a moment. "Hey," Oliver said quietly, and she looked up again. "It's not your fault," he repeated softly. She took a deep breath, and nodded. She pressed her head against his chest again, needing some reassurance and comfort. They remained like that for a while.

"Really, Lynn, sometimes you take on too much guilt," Oliver murmured into her hair, then winced, knowing he often did the opposite. Perhaps that was one of the reasons they fit together so well – they balanced each other out. Finally Lynn had calmed down, and she pulled back a little, giving him a small smile.

"You ok now?" Oliver asked, and Lynn nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

A comfortable silence descended upon them, and they were quite content staying like they were. After a while though, Lynn asked, "So, why were you home early? I usually don't see you for another three hours."

Oliver blushed a little, but told her of Clint and Nancy's engagement. "They reminded me of what I've come so close to losing."

Lynn smiled up at him. "Hey, don't you start beating yourself up over that again. That was years ago. Besides, as you just said, no one's perfect." Oliver rolled his eyes at his own words being used against him, but Lynn continued. "In fact, my grandfather had a saying that hung in the living room. 'Soul-mates are people who bring out the best in you. They are not perfect but they are always perfect for you.'"

Oliver pondered over that for a moment, then asked, "Who said that?"

"Unknown," Lynn replied, amused, because she knew her husband didn't like anonymous quotes. This time though, Oliver was silent for a few seconds, before saying, "Pity. A quote like that deserves the author's name."

He looked down into the twinkling eyes of his wife, and said, "I love you, Lynn Crane."

"And I love you, Oliver Crane."

That evening, they cooked together, enjoying each other's company. After they had finished dinner, and the subsequent dishes, they were comfortably sitting in the living room. Oliver thought back over his day. With a stab of shame he realised how rude he'd been to the engaged couple.

"Lynn," he said, breaking the silence, although the soft tunes of classical music floated from the CD installation. "There's something I have to do."

Lynn looked up.

"When doctor Cassidy and nurse Nichol announced their engagement today, I… I…"

"You weren't your usual polite self?" Lynn guessed, giving him a small smile to soften the sharpness of the comment. Oliver flinched nonetheless, and nodded.

"Do you know where they live?" his wife asked, and again he nodded.

"Well, it's likely they'll be together after today's announcement, and it's not very late yet… why don't you go there now?"

"I could do it tomor…" Oliver trailed off at the raised eyebrow, "or I could do it now."

Lynn grinned, and Oliver sighed, and joined her. Recognising her husband's reluctance, Lynn offered, "Can I come along? I don't think I've met them yet. Or I could wait in the car, if you'd rather I did that."

Oliver smiled lovingly at his wife. She knew him well. He truly did not know what to do without her. "I'd like that," he admitted.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** And this is the last (short) chapter. Hope I've convinced you that Oliver Crane is not just a rude, unsympathetic man, but also a loving husband, despite his faults.  
Thanks to Give us Peace for the continuing reviews. They're much appreciated. 

Part 4:

There was a knock on the door, and Clint opened it. He looked surprised when he saw who was on the other side.

"Oliver, good evening," he said, a smile on his face, as he welcomed his colleague.

"Doctor Cassidy," Oliver acknowledged. "Is nurse Nichol here as well?"

"That she is," Clint nodded. "Why don't you come on in?"

A quick nervous look down at his feet, then he looked up again. "Oh, eh, my wife, Lynn."

"Howdy Ma'am," Clint greeted her, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, doctor Cassidy," Lynn replied with a smile. By this time Nancy had also joined them, and introductions were finished. There was a moment of silence, in which Clint and Nancy waited for the reason the couple had come to Clint's apartment. Oliver exchanged another look with his wife, took a deep sigh, then looked up at the younger couple.

"I eh, I realised I may have been a bit rude today, and I'd like to congratulate you both with your engagement."

Nancy looked surprised, and Clint nodded, smiling knowingly. "Thanks, Oliver."

"Well, then I guess we should be going again," Oliver said, looking over at Lynn. Nancy and Clint exchanged a look. "Why don't you stay here for coffee? I was just making some," Nancy offered. If doctor Crane was polite enough to admit to his own impoliteness, she could certainly return the favour by inviting him for coffee.

To his own surprise, Oliver felt he'd like that, and with a quick look at his wife, he nodded. "Please."

Perhaps there could be more than animosity and grudging respect between him and the newly engaged couple. He was starting to see that second chances were not to be taken lightly. Both in friendship, and in love.

**The End**


End file.
